The 2012 Hallmark movie "A Smile as Big as the Moon: A Special Education Teacher, His Class, and Their Inspiring Journey Through U.S. Space Camp" is as inspirational today as it was in 1989. The actor playing the student with Down syndrome is Peter ten Brink.

Some babies are late to learn 'self-soothing' because they are not developmentally ready to take on that responsibility. Teaching a baby to self-soothe without being aware of what might be causing them physical discomfort or other distress is counterproductive to raising a resilient child.

In 1995, Sandra Jensen was initially denied a heart/lung transplant because she was born with Down syndrome and medical professionals felt she would be unable to manage post-operative care. In 2012, a young patient with intellectual disability was denied a kidney transplant even with a family donor

Parents and caregivers of babies and children with disabilities should be familiar with the symptoms and lack of symptoms seen with bacterial and viral varieties of pneumonia.

New Year Blues and winter depression can strike families unexpectedly, and may hit harder when parents of children with special needs lack support, understanding and encouragement during the first stressful weeks of the new year and dark months of winter

Valentines Day holiday is a great opportunity for expressions of friendship between children and a wonderful incentive for them to practice writing their first names on the backs of cards, or placing stickers with preprinted names and messages of friendship.